Toronto FC goes into the field this Wednesday with the aim of beating FC Cincinnati at home for the first time since 2021 and showing that, following an on-again off-again beginning, there's still something worth battling for in this season. The 2-0 win over DC United last weekend gave the Reds some breathing room, but this test is different.
Cincinnati has taken six of its last seven games, holds the best road record in the league, and likes to make Toronto FC a regular victim.
Dismaying recent past and the burden of being at home
No other team has lost so much to them since FC Cincinnati joined the league in 2019. Eight losses, four wins, and one draw in 13 regular season meetings. To add insult to injury, Toronto has not defeated their opponents at home since September 2021. That 3-2 win, with goals from Shaffelburg, Delgado, and Achara, seemed like the team was in charge. But that was short-lived. Since then, it's been Cincinnati all the way. With coach Pat Noonan at the helm, the Orange and Blue are undefeated against the Canadians with six victories and one draw.
Wednesday's BMO Field meeting was the 14th meeting between the two teams. And despite that the game is being played at home in Toronto, home edge no longer suggests power. TFC can still pride itself with some good all-time home mark with 123 regular season MLS wins, but this is not a transition year. It's in round 13 after two wins, six losses, and four draws. Not good enough.
The win against DC United
Saturday's 2-0 victory over DC United does not change the world, but it does provide a point from which to start. It was the fourth time this season that the team reached the dressing room without allowing an opponent's side beyond the goal, which deserves credit. The game had a scoreless first half, but near the beginning of the second half, Theo Corbeanu's cross connected to Lorenzo Insigne, who headed in the first goal of the 2025 season for him. Corbeanu, incidentally, recorded his first MLS assist for TFC. Twenty minutes later, the advantage was doubled through an own goal by DC United's Lucas Bartlett. Not necessarily brilliant, but effective. And here in this atmosphere, that's all that's needed.
Toronto needs confidence. And a home game with heightened morale could be the ideal atmosphere. But there is a catch: the team they are playing against on the other side is one of the most consistent teams in the league the last two years.
Cincinnati has mastered playing tight games
FC Cincinnati have turned into masters of winning the small things. The club has now racked up 35 one-goal victories since 2023's beginning. For context, New England Revolution owns 20 over the same span. It's the kind of number that displays Pat Noonan's team as knowing how to survive, adapt, and shut the door when it matters most.
The team is strong right now with eight victories, three ties, and only one loss. The team recently had its winning streak ended, but has already indicated it's on the mend. Away from home, they've won three in a row, and nobody else has more.